Automatic control device



June 14,1932. B 5 M s 1,863,164

AUTOMATIC CONTROL DEVICE Filed May 20, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet v 1 IN VEN TOR.

A'TTORNEY June 14, 1932 I B. s. MINTERS 1,863,164

AUTOMATIC CONTROL DEVICE Filed May 20, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fatted dime i l, 1932 S. MINTEES, OF GREAT NEGE, NEW YQRK Application filed May 20, 193R. Serictit'm 5863531.

This-invention relates to automatic control devices for gas ovens.

Among the objects of this invention 1s to provide in gas range or the like, a neat, rugged, compact and practical control device of the character described, comprising few and simpie parts, substantially concealed between the outer walls and lining of the oven, which shall be comparatively maxpensive' to manufacture, pos1t1ve and smooth in operation and practical and efficient to -a high degree in use.

Other objects of this invention Wlll in part be obvious and in part, hereinafter pointed out.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter described, and of which the scope of application will be indicated in the following claims.

in the accompanying drawings, in which is shown one of the various possible illustrative embodiments of this invention,

Fig. l is a front elevational view of a portion of a gas range providedwith 0011- trol means embodying the invention, with parts broken away to show the interior of 30 the construction;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the structure shown in Fi l, with parts broken away to show the interior of the construction;

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional enlarged detailed view of the gas valve forming part of my improved device;

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 2; and

Fi 5 is a front elevational enlarged detaile view of a portion of the device shown in El 1. Re erring now in detail to the drawings designates a portion of a gas range providedwith the usual cooking oven 11, broiling oven 12 and asubstantially rectangular shaped gas burner 13 interposed between said ovens. The gas may be fed to the burner 13 by means of a gas supply pipe 15, which also su plies gas to the usual open burners (not s own) in the well known manner.

The pipe 15 may be connected to said burner 13 by means of a pair of nipples l6 and 14, a gas valve 18 interposed between said nipples, and a pipe 19 connected to the nipple l? by means of an air inlet valve 20.

'l he valve 18 may be of ordinary construction and preferably comprises a housing 22 having an internal partition formed with a central. tapered valve opening 24. Said opening may be closed by a valve closure member 25 formed at one end of a stem 26 slidably extending through a bore in said housing. The stem 26 is provided with a head 28 at the other end thereof, and a coiled com ression spring 29 is interposed between said iead 28 and the housing. The valve is thus normally retained in closed position, and may be opened upon pressure being exerted against the head 28.

Means is rovided for openin the gas valve a pre etermined amount depending upon the desired temperature in the ovens 11, 12, and for thermostatically retaining said valve in said regulated position,- whereby an even predetermined temperature may be maintained within the oven. To this end there is mounted between the vertical lining 32 of the oven and the outer wall 33 thereof, a vertical tubular member 34: closed at the upper end thereof b a plug 36 or in any other suitable manner. screwed to said tubular member 34L- adjacent the upper end thereof is a horizontal elongated tubular member 8'? made of copper or the like material having a relatively large 'co-efiicient of expansion, said copper tube extending through said linin wallr32 and projecting into the oven 11 ad acent the top thereof. The outer end of the tube 37 ma be closed by anadjustable cap 38, prefera ly screwed to the said outer end thereof. Pivoted to said member 34 medially the ends tl1ereof,as for exam le, on a horizontal pivot 39 is a lever 40. Xttached to the upper. end 41 of said lever is a member 42 having a fiat surface for the purpose hereinafter described. Slidably mounted within said tubular member 37 and spaced therefrom as for example by means of a lurality of spaced ring members 48 is an e ongated rod 44 made of porcelain or the like material having a relatively small co eflicient of expansion, said rod being attached at the outer end 44a thereof, to said cap 38 in any suitable manner, for example, by means of a ring 38a concentrically formed with said cap and receiving said end of sald rod thereln.

The inner end 46 of the rod 44 is preferably formed with a knife edge contacting said flat surface of member 42. The lower end of the lever 40 has a portion 49 bent substantially at right angles thereto, and extending downwardly from said portion 49 is an arm 50 bent inwardly as at 51. Pivoted to said inwardly bent portion 51 is a vertical floating lever v52 having. an end portion 53 contacting the head 28 of the gas valve 18.

It will now be clear that a pull to the left 60. Attached to the front surface of said marks and temperature in wall 56 is a dial 61 bearin Off and On dicia for cooperation with the pointer 60. 7 Attached to the inner end .of said rod 57 is a disc or wheel 63 having ratchet teeth 64 at the periphery thereof. A spring 65 fixed as at 66 to a honzontal floor or wall portion of the gas range, is providedyvith an end port-ion 67 adapted to engage sd teeth 64 for retaining the disc in any pos moved. Eccentricall yklfixed to said disc is a pin 68 projecting 'i earwardly therefrom.

Slidahly mounted on said floor portion 70, is a member 71 having a horizontal portion 72 retained on said wall 70 by means of a pair of spaced guide straps 73. Extending upwardly from one end of said portion 72 is a bifurcated arm 74 having a slot 75 slidably receiving said pin 68 therein. Extendin upwardly from the opposite end portion 72 is an arm 76 adapted to contact the lower end 54 of said floating lever 52.

The operation of the device will now be clear. In'normal position with the pointer 60 pointing to the Off mark on the dial 61, the arm 76 is in the dotted position shown in Fig. 5, and the spring 29 is permitted to push the stem 26 to the left for closing the valve 18. Upon turning thehandle 59 however, the pointer 60 may be brought to any desired point on the dial 61, for example to the: point marked 350. This movement of the handle will cause the disc 63 to be rotated for slidably moving the member 72 to the left to which it may be cally by means of any suitable pilot upon opening of the valve 18, as is well known in However, should the oven rise to a tempera ture greater than 350 the copper tube 37 will expand and the cap 38 will move to the right, thus pulling rod 44 therewith. The compression spring 29 will then rotate lever 52 about end portion 54 thereof in a counterclockwise direction. This movement will cause the lever 40 to rotate about pivot 39 in a clockwise direction, such rotation being permitted by movement of the rod 44. The valve stem 26 thus moves to the left under the influence of the compression spring 29 toward closing position. The spring 29 serves to retain the upper end of lever 40 in contact with end 46 of rod 44.

The gas supply to the burner 13 will hence be diminished to decrease the temperature Within the oven. 1

Upon decrease of thetemperature within the oven, the copper tube 37 will contract and cause the rod 44 to be pushed to the left, thus causing the lever 40 to pivot in a counterclockwise direction for pivotally moving the floating lever 53 about the lower end 54 in a clockwise direction. The valve stem is thus moved to the right for again opening the same toincrease the flow of gas to the burner 13.

of the engagement of spring 65 with the teeth 64 of the disc 63. The temperature within the oven will thus remain constant since, if it is increased beyond the predetermined point the temperature will be lowered and if it is moved below the predetermined point, the temperature will be-automatically increased.

. A usual gas range stop cock valve 57a may' be interposed in the supply pipe or manifold 15, the shaft 57 being adapted to actuate said valve. The valve 57a serves as a safety closure valve and also serves to limit the maximum gas supply to the burner 13.

The-valve 18 may be attached to the tubular member 34 in any suitable manner whereby the relative positions of the copper tube 37, rod 44, levers 40 and 52 and valve 18 are fixed to ensure proper operation of the control mechanism. Further with this constructiomsaid mechanism may be installed as a unit, either in new gas ranges or in ranges now 1n use.

It will thus be seen that there is provided a device in which the several objects of this invention are achieved, and which is well adapted to meet the conditions of practical use.

It will be noted that the handle 59 remains in any position to which it is set by reason,

As various possible embodiments might be made of the above invention, and as various changes might be made in the embodiment above set forth, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawing is to be interperted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. In a gas oven having a cooking chamber, a gas burner within said chamber, means for supplying gas to said burner, a gas valve interposed in said supply, said valve including a movable valve member and a spring normally urging said member to closing position, and means for controlling said valve, said means comprising a tubular member made of material having a relatively high coeflicient of expansion attached at one end thereof to a portion of said oven, and extending into said chamber, a lever pivoted to said oven, a member made of material having a relatively small co-eflicient of expansion within said tubular member and contacting the free end of said tubular member at one end thereof, and one end of saidlever at the opposite end thereof, a floating lever pivoted mediate the ends thereof to the opposite end of said first lever, one end of said floating lever being adapted to contact said spring pressed movable valve member, and manually actuated means engagingthe opposite end of said floating lever for rotating the same about the pivotal point thereof.

2. In a gas oven having a cooking chamber, a gas burner within said chamber, means for supplying gas to said burner, a gas valve interposed in said supply, said valve including a movable valve member and a spring normally urging said member to closing position, means for controlling said valve, said means comprising a tubular member made of materialhaving a relatively high co-eflicient of expansion attached to a portion of said oven at one end thereof and extending into said chamber, a lever pivoted to said oven, a member made of material having a relatively small co-eflieient of expansion within said tubular member, contacting the free end of said tubular member at one end thereof, and one end of said lever at the opposite end thereof, a floating lever pivoted mediate the ends thereof to the opposite end of said first lever, one end of said floating lever being adapted to contact said spring pressed valve member, and manually actuated means engaging the opposite end of said floating lever for rotating the same about the pivotal point thereof, said manually actuated means comprising a handle, a disc attached to said handle and adapted to be rotated therewith, a member interconnecting said disc with said floating lever, and res1l1ent means for retaining said disc against accidental movement.

3. In combination with an oven, a gas burner therein, a gas valve for controlling the supply of gas to said burner, said valve including a spring pressed closure member, a lever pivoted mediate the endsthereof to said oven, a floating lever pivoted to one end of said first lever and adapted to contact said closure member, thermostatic means extending into said oven operatively connected with the other end of said first lever, for automatically controlling said closure member, and manually actuated means for rotating said floating lever about the pivotal point thereof for initially setting said closure member.

4. In combination with an oven, a gas burner therein, a gas valve for controlling the supply of gas to said burner, said valve including a spring pressed closure member, a lever pivoted mediate the ends thereof to said oven, a floating lever pivoted to one end of said first lever andadapted to contact said closure member, thermostatic means extending into said oven operatively associated with the other end of said first lever for automatically controlling said closure member,-

manually actuated means for rotating said floating lever about the pivotal point thereof, and means for retaining said manually actuated means in any position to which the same may be moved.

5. Valve control means comprising a movable closure member, an elongated member made of material having a relatively high coefficient of expansion fixed at one end thereof, a lever pivoted to a fixed pivot mediate the ends thereof, a member having a relatively small co-elficient of expansion interposed between one end of said lever and the opposite end of said elongated member, a second lever pivoted mediate the ends thereof to the opposite end of said first lever, said second lever having an arm contacting said closure member, and manually actuated means adapted to engage the other arm of said second lever for causing rotation of said second lever.

6. Valve control means comprising a movable spring pressed elosure member, an elongated member made of material having a relatively high co-eflicient of expansion fixed at one end thereof, a lever pivoted to a fixed pivot mediate the ends thereof, a member having a relatively small co-eflicient of expansion interposed between one end of said lever, and the opposite end of said elongated member, a second lever pivoted mediate the ends thereof to the opposite end of said first lever, and having an arm contact-ing said closure member, adjustable means adapted to engage the other arm of said second lever for causing rotation of said second lever, and means for retaining said adjustable means in any position to whichthe same may be adjusted.

7. In combination with a'cooking oven, a gas burner therein, means for supplying gas to said'burner, a gas valve interposed within said supply means, including a closure mem- 5 ber and a spring adapted to move said closure member toclosing position, means for con- I trolling said valve, comprising a tubular member made of material having a relatively high co-eflicient of expansion attached at one end thereof to a. portion of said oven and extending into said oven, a lever pivoted mediate the ends thereof to said oven, an elongated rod having a relatively small co-eflicient of expansion within said tubular member having one end thereof fixed to the free end of said tubular member and the other end thereof contacting one end of said lever, a second 'lever pivoted at the opposite end of said first lever and having one end contacting said closure member, adjustable means for engaging the opposite end of said second lever for rotating the same to press said closure member against said spring toward opening position, and means for releasably retaining said 5 last mentioned means in adjusted position.

8. Valve control means for a burner comprising an elongated member made of material having a relatively high co-efiicient of expansion and fixed at one end thereof, and

adapted to extend into a heating chamber, a pivoted lever, a member made of material having a relatively low co-eflicient of expansion interposed between a portion of said first member and a portion of said lever, a floating lever pivoted to said first lever, one end of said floating lever being adapted to actuate said valve, and movable means engaging said floating lever for rotating the same about the pivotal point thereof.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature.

BARNET S. MINTERS. 

